


The Girl With Scales

by FoxxyGoddess



Category: Jurassic World (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-20
Updated: 2017-12-07
Packaged: 2019-02-04 17:27:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12775893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoxxyGoddess/pseuds/FoxxyGoddess
Summary: Always a different sex. female!Zach, not female!Owen. 1/15 of the population is shape shifter. Those that become extinct species are far and few between. Basically the same as the movie with this little twist (shapeshifters) that results in major changes down the road.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** I do not own anything related to the Jurassic Park series, other than the DVD box set when it came out. This has been written purely for the entertainment of myself and the readers.  
>  **a/n:** I have yet to see any female!Zach paired with Owen. So I thought 'What the heck, I'm doing it', and here we are.  
>  The legal age of adulthood for any shifter is 17. The reason for this is that many go into the mating cycle of their animal form after the start of puberty. In fact, it is what usually causes one's first shift to their animal side at the age of 12-14, if it hasn't been triggered sooner. Having control over the instincts labels them as adults to law enforcement. This concept is accepted as law the world over.  
> Also, please don't hate me. 
> 
> ' _thoughts_ '  
> *sound effects*  
> {Non-human Communication}  
> [ ** _Electronic Communication_** / ** _P.A. System_** ]  
> spelling errors?

                 

~*~

                 

7.5% of the population is born with the ability to shape shift in to an animal. But only as those that appear naturally in nature, no domesticated breeds whatsoever. There is no rhyme or reason to _who_ becomes _what_. It does not pass from parent to child, nor will blood relations have similar animal forms.

Those that become extinct species are far and few between. The rarest on record were a mammoth(recorded in 1923), a saber-tooth tiger(recorded in 1857), a Dodo Bird(recorded in 1972), and a Hagerman Horse(recorded in 2003).

There are rumors abound that hint at those that can become creatures that pre-date homo sapiens as a species.

                 

~*~

                 

"Zach! Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah," Zach said with annoyance, she'd been ready and packed the day after Christmas. Though she understood the concern behind the question. Due to the weather, her mom wanted them leaving two days sooner than planned. Her mom almost hated the cold as much as she did, but for drastically different reasons. Zach called to her mother while quickly shutting the door, "Why don't you worry about Gray. He probably forgot his pajamas again. Or something."

' _there's still three hours before we even have to get to the airport. and then we get to sit for seven hours on a plane, and then another hour by boat to even reach Isla Nublar. just to spent the rest of the holidays doing some 'happy family bonding time' with Aunt Clair, who we haven't seen since gray's sixth birthday. all so they can fight some more without gray getting upset_ '

Zach snorted at that thought. ' _i mean, i know why they pretend they're still in love. but it's not like he doesn't know that they argue. the little guy is pretty smart. but yeah, it'd break his heart if he had to watch them go through this. by the time we get back they'll have probably finished talking to their lawyers and we'll be coming home to just mom_ '

Zach has known the whole truth about the divorce for several weeks, her mom told her what was going on when she gave Zach "The Talk" again a month before her daughter's 17th birthday. She didn't want Zach to make the same mistakes she had.

Just because Zach, as a registered shifter could legally have sex now didn't mean she had to right away. Especially as she never let it be verified what species, or whether it took a life long mate or not. She should wait for the right person, someone she felt comfortable with. And to always use protection, always. No condom, no sex, no exceptions.

Getting pregnant in high school is how the Mitchells ended up married in the first place. And losing that baby had been the first step in the path to where they were now. Giving the name they had chosen for her unborn big brother to her had been the unintentional second.

She had always saw it in the way they flinched whenever her teachers called her "Zachary" and how quickly they were to correct, "She prefers Zach", even though she didn't at the time. There were times she wondered if he would have liked her and Gray, if he'd have been like them. Would he share her scales, have Gray's dense fur, or something completely different, like feathers?

Zach sighed and laid down on her bed. Her hand fumbled with her iPod Shuffle and hit play. She didn't care if it was old and seriously out of date compared to what the other kids had. It had been the greatest, and last, gift she'd ever gotten from her aunt. Her mom had had a fit when she realized that her aunt had gotten Zach an iTunes card with $500 worth in credit along with the tiny iPod in an attempt to make up for missing both the girl's birthday and Christmas.

Gray had equally scored big, mostly in the dinosaur department as per his obsession. But their mom didn't like the fact that her sister not only chose work over family, but tried to buy her kids love with things rather than actually be there.

There was a knock at her door and then Gray was on her stomach, nuzzling as the instinct of his otter side demanded. Despite her moody attitude Zach never stopped Gray from being affectionate. It was the rest of the world she kept beyond arm's length. Just because she was dealing with issues didn't mean she would ever love her brother less.

"Your girlfriend is waiting for you downstairs."

And with those words Zach was up and out the door with her large suitcase, Gray bouncing on the side of her bed in her wake.

She pulled her girlfriend away from her parents and out the door without a word, stowing her luggage in the SUV as they started talking. Well, Abby talked and Zach listened. Which was most of their relationship. Abby did something and Zach got pulled along. It's how they ended up together. Abby just stated they were dating one day at the beginning of the school year and kissed Zach before she even thought to form an opinion. She didn't even know if she was really into girls like that or not.

They spent a good twenty minutes outside the house before her parents reminded them of the time. She said an awkward goodbye over Abby's 'I love you'. Thankfully the blonde was used to Zach's indifference to anything that didn't involve her brother.

Though her parents still tried to get a raise every chance they got. Thankfully she'd learned control early on, the ride to the airport was still a test on her composure, if nothing else.

                 

~*~

                 

"Zach, look!" Gray urges, tugging at the sleeve of her hoodie, now completely unnecessary in the tropical climate for anyone else. Distracted from warming her naturally low body temperature, Zach shakes him off, leaning against the railing as she rolls her eyes before turning to look at what has his attention.

And as much as she doesn't want to admit it, she's glad Gray told her to look up. It's the sort of place that belongs on the cover of fantasy books or geographical magazines. With the tall, reaching mountain terrain and green forests that stretch across the land. She can just make out the buzzing shape of a crowd on the shore line, spilling off the dock and into the entrance of the park as they get closer.

As the ship nears the beach, Zach inhales sharply. Even from this distance she can smell the crisp scent of the many plants. She might hate the reason they're here in the first place, but the island definitely is amazing. The other tourists around them shout and whistle in excitement as the ship docks in the harbor.

Zach reaches for Gray, pulling him to her side to make sure he doesn't get lost in the crowd. Every instinct thrumming to protect her weaker pack-mate. The thirteen year old clings to her hoodie, his grey-green eyes wide in awe as they disembark. She tries not to giggle at the way his nose twitches in excitement.

They get swept into the rush of the crowd immediately, as overhead, the announcer greets them loudly.

[ ** _Welcome to_ _Jurassic World_** ]

At halfway down the path, Zach and Gray were greeted by their aunt's assistant, a british woman named Zara, holding a plaque with their names on it.

' _she's kinda pale for some one who works on a tropical island_ '

Once she looked past the fake cheer, Zach could tell she seemed to have little interest in them beyond what was needed to not get fired. Zach just shrugged, what employee wanted to play babysitter their boss' relatives.

Gray was too excited to notice, near vibrating in place with questions not yet asked.

Though his energy was a bit contagious once he got going. Zara even gave a real smile as she tried to keep up with Gray's rapid fire words.

' _and another falls to the charms of the water rat_ ' she thought affectionately.

On the monorail to the park, her brother was so excited he wouldn't stop blabbing like he had been doing since they stepped on the boat. Zach pretended to not pay attention to him, utilizing her headphones to further display disinterest. As they got farther inland, she let herself be pulled to the front to view the original gates of Jurassic Park with Gray. Zach felt in awe at the sight.

The moment she'd heard where she and Gray were going, she'd researched what she could on the park. Everything from the layout of the original park to the interviews of all the survivors, from both Isla Nublar and Isla Sorna, the knowledge gained in paleontology, all the way to Jurassic World's complex science of creating dinosaurs. Though she knew more about a certain species than any human could ever know, not that she would ever share it. But the fact was, Zach knew more about the place and what it held than Gray did. The only difference being Gray learned it because it was something he loved. Zach wanted to be prepared.

' _those that don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it_ '

She had a map in her head of where everything was, of both the old and new park, and had marked out the best escape routes from the paddocks. Which buildings provided the best shelter for different situations. The danger each pseudo-dinosaur posed and how to avoid it. The names of the people in charge of the creatures. As well as all of the security teams. She had plans upon plans if even the slightest thing went wrong.

Worst case, she'd fully shift and tear apart anything that came within her range.

No way was she going to let Gray or herself die because some rich idiot liked playing God.

                 

~*~

                 

The room was decent, at least. Two double beds and a flat screen TV on the opposite wall. Two wooden sliding panels opening up to a balcony with a view of the main part of the park with the ocean off to the left.

Zach rolled her shoulders and dumps their bags between the beds. Then throws herself down on the one closest to the door, placing herself between Gray and potential danger automatically.

"Your aunt has given you VIP passes so you can go on all the rides and a card that lets you eat anywhere for free. I'm to escort you both around the park while your aunt is working." Zara says, her voice professional once more.

Zach looks over at her with a look, already figuring in another person in her survival plans alongside her, Gray, and their Aunt Claire.

The effort makes her brain throb.

"Is Aunt Claire coming with us?" Gray asks. The eagerness in his voice makes Zach cringe internally. He was like an excited puppy, needing near constant attention. Which wasn't a stretch given his other form.

"Your aunt will meet you here in," Zara checked her watch, "two hours. She's taking you to dinner," she informed them. After checking that they okay on their own Zara left.

Their Aunt wanted them to wait at the resort, so they waited. It's not like they had better things to do, contrary to Gray's opinion.

Gray couldn't help complaining about how he wanted to see the whole park right now. Zach just rolled her eyes again.

"We were on the last ferry of the day, Gray. It's going to start getting dark soon," she pointed to the balcony where the light was starting to fade the tiniest bit. "Tonight is about catching up with Aunt Claire. We have nearly two weeks to see everything this place has to offer. You need to pace yourself. Plus if we're always off to the next thing, we won't get to see the behind the scenes Aunt Claire promised."

Gray had started calming down as she spoke. Her brother decided to memorize the map of the island to kill time. Zach watched her brother from the corner of her eye, half heartedly checking her phone until their aunt showed.

                 

~*~

                 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ' _thoughts_ '   
> *sound effects*   
> {Non-human Communication}   
> [ ** _Electronic Communication_** / ** _P.A. System_** ]   
> spelling errors?

                

~*~

                

_The first rumble of thunder in the distance sent Zach racing through the trees looking for her brother._

_Gray had wandered away when she wasn't looking. Her heart pounded as the thought of him hurt crossed her mind. She called out again as she searched._

_"ZACH!"_

_The sound of her brother's pained shout sent her entire body into panic. She didn't notice the pain as she ran toward his voice. Even the way the world lost color and scents became sharper, guiding her toward Gray, didn't register._

_She thought nothing of how she slipped to the ground, her gait changed as she rushed forward to her feet. The torn clothes fell from her body unnoticed. All that mattered was finding her brother._

_Instinct took over when she finally found him. He was cornered against a rock by a mountain lion. She launched herself on top of the large feline, her claws sinking into the furred hide._

_It screamed and twisted in an attempt to get at her. Zach released her hold, snarling at it as it finally looked at her._

_It fled as quicky as the gashes on it's back and side would allow. Once her senses told her it was gone for good, Zach turned to her brother's huddled form._

_Without thought her entire body covered his, her face pressed against his body to scent him for wounds._

_It wasn't until he whimpered that she pulled back and looked him in the eye. She opened her mouth to speak only for him flinch away. They both froze._

_"Zach...?" his voice tiny, full of awe and fear as his tiny hand had reached out slowly and grabbed the edge of her stretched shirt._

_It was then that she realized what was wrong. Gray didn't recognize her because she wasn't human at the moment._

_She was a shifter. And almost losing her brother was what triggered her change._

                

~*~

                

Zach woke to the feeling of something poking all over her stomach. With a groan, she rolled and trapped Gray beneath her. His surprised gasp was muffled against her sleep shirt. With much giggling and wriggling, a head of floppy curls freed itself from under her armpit.

"It's time to get up, Zach!" Not even the time difference could hinder his excitement.

She just groaned and pretended to be an octopus on top of her brother for another five minutes. Once their aunt knocked on the door, Zach decided to show mercy.

After talking with her, they got ready for the day. Aunt Claire, as she'd told them the night before, was too busy to spent the day with them.

"She's the manager of this park, Gray. She can't just drop everything to run around with us. Plus, we came days early," Zach pointed out after Gray started looking like a sad puppy. "All the time she freed up doesn't start until the day after tomorrow. Until then we have Ms. Zara. We'll see her at dinner again tonight. And at least she'd promised we'd get to see some of the behind the scenes of any of the exhibits we want."

After a few more minutes of Gray pouting, they headed out to look around the park. Their first visit was to the Gentle Giant Petting Zoo where children could ride baby herbivores and pet many of the smaller young dinosaurs.

They got to go back where they kept and checked over the creatures. It was also where they moved the ones getting too big before they put them out with their herd. Given their sizes, even Zach could have rested on one.

Gray was so excited while Zach was giving an annoyed look to appear bored as hell. Though on the inside she was fighting the urge to reach out and touch. Not that she could.

' _how can something covered in scales be that cute?_ '

One of the trainers told Zach she could assist in the removal of the saddles from one of the more tired ones. She tried to refuse, but the older woman wasn't listening. Zach was pulled along into the small pen. The young dinosaur moved back the moment she got near. The closer she got the more upset it, and those closest, got. None of the trainers seemed to know what was going on.

"I think they can ...smell what I am," Zach pulled back her sleeve and held up her right wrist. The reflective band flickered in the light. The bright blue color indicated she was cold blooded, a reptile. The lack of a leaf symbol implies she was a predator, and the three triangles meant her other form was large.

Most people assumed she turned into an alligator or crocodile. Which helped in this case, as both were close enough genetically to register as a threat to the psuedo-dinosaurs.

"I'll just... be over there if you need me, Gray," she called as she walked backwards toward the open gate. He smiled then went back to offering food to keep the others from wandering about as she went out to watch from the other side the fence.

As they left an hour later, she told Gray to cover his pack as she pulled his shirt tail over it, not wanting anyone to steal from her brother. Zach would rather not have a repeat of the last time someone tried to pickpocket her brother.

The idiot had had to go to the hospital. Zach hadn't meant to dislocate his shoulder and elbow when she'd grabbed his arm and pulled, she'd just been trying to get her brother's favorite backpack back.

                

~*~

                

When prompted about seeing something special, Zara took them to where they were training the Raptors. Though it takes a few minutes to track down a ranger to take them. The exhibit wasn't yet open to the public and as such was set far away so no one could accidentally wander across it.

The trail to the Raptor paddock is surrounded by greenery, wild forests and mossy trees lining the path. By the time they break out of the trees, the sun is at its highest point in the sky. Zach thanks the ranger before sliding out of the car, standing with Gray as the jeep pulls away.

The raptor 'cage' is relatively big, with a compound building to one side of the clearing; the yellow lights of what looks to be an office spilling out onto the shaded dirt. To their right, tall concrete and steel walls disappear off into the forest, broken only by a barred cage that acts as a gateway through the barriers. Chatter can be heard from inside as Zara shows them around, while not looking like she was searching for someone in charge.

The cage itself is empty, but a set of metal stairs lead up to the barriers.

' _only it's not_ '

Zach can hear the soft chitters hiding in the foliage. Four distinct voices calling back and forth from beyond the metal and concrete walls.

It had taken months for her and Gray to understand each other in their animal forms. The differing species was a barrier, made of sounds and body language. The tilt of the head, tensing of muscles, eye contact. A slight noise would speak volumes that neither could interpret from the other. Each meant different things to mammals and reptiles. Prey and predators.

But those in the enclosure Zach could understand. Yet not. It was like hearing someone speak her native tongue, but heavily accented.

                

~*~

                

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **a/n:** *points to warehouse full of ideas and half written stories then shrugs shoulders* ....eh?

**Author's Note:**

>  **a/n:** should i be writing this with everything else i've got going on? probably not. are people going to be frustrated that i'm doing instead of finishing my other works? definitely! am i going to be adding the next chapter soon? *inhales through clenched teeth* .....maybe?


End file.
